Population
11 million
60% Spanish descent
22% mixed-race
11% African descent
1% Chinese
Capital City
Havana
Leadership
Head of State
Fidel Castro
Religion
47% Catholic
4% Protestant
2% Santería
Cuban Ambassador to the
U.S.
No current diplomatic relations
BIO
Cuba is an island in the Gulf of Mexico just south of Florida and east of the Yucatan Peninsula. A
large percentage of the population is of white Spanish
heritage, and there is also a large proportion of mixed
racial and black citizens. A strict social hierarchy was
part of the Spanish colonial society, but the rev-
olutionary government led by Fidel Castro has virtually
obliterated this social system. The revolutionary
government has also limited religious expression;
however about 33% of the population has remained
Roman Catholic (reduced from more than 80%).
According to official reports over 50% consider them-
selves to be non-religious, but it is believed that the
government may have manipulated this number.
Relations between Cuba and the international
community have varied in recent decades. For much
of the 1960’s, Cuba suffered the economic con-
sequences of isolation. By the end of the 1970’s,
however, relations improved both with other Latin
American countries (who effectively lifted the embargo
on Cuba) and to some degree with the USA.
The collapse of the USSR in the early 1990’s had a
severe impact on Cuba. Sugarcane production, the
backbone of the Cuban economy, dropped to a 30-year
low in 1993 and continued to worsen, causing a severe
economic emergency. Thousands of Cubans began to
try to flee the country in dilapidated boats to Florida -
a treacherous 90-mile journey.
Fidel Castro is now 75 years old and has held power
since 1959. In recent years there have been rumors
that his health is failing and in the summer of 2001 he
collapsed during a speaking engagement. Cuba’s future
in the inevitable event of Castro’s death is unclear but
speculation points to his brother and vice-president,
Raul, as successor.
Religious freedom and Cuban law
In Cuba, power belongs to the working people in the
form of a socialist state. The Communist Party is the only
legal party. It is ruled under a Constitution that was
adopted in 1976.
Can you recommend some
other Cuba websites?
Article 54:
The socialist state, that bases its activity and educates the people in the scientific materialistic conception
of the universe, recognizes and guarantees the freedom of conscience, the individual right to profess
any religious belief and to practice, within the confines of the law, the religion of his preference.
A law that deals directly with religious activity was adopted in 1992 and for a short time, religious liberty
in Cuba appeared to be improving.
Article 55:
The State, that recognizes, respects, and guarantees the
freedom of conscience and religion, also
recognizes, respects, and guarantees the freedom of every citizen to
change religious beliefs or not to
have any, and to profess, within the confines of the law, the religious worship of
his/her preference.
The law regulates the relationship of the State with religious institutions.
In 1994, a new penal code amendment was passed that
provides punishments for anyone who is
perceived to be involved in any activity that might be dangerous to the
state. This law has permitted
varying and inconsistent applications towards dissidents of the state.
The situation appeared to change in January of 1998, when
Pope John Paul II made the first papal
visit to this once predominantly Catholic island. There were great hopes on the
part of religious
communities in Cuba, as well as democratic strategists who saw this as a softening of Fidel Castro’s
strict policies. As a result of the Pope’s visit, there has been
a widening revival of religion in all sectors
of the state. However, dissidents (including religious activists and clergy)
continue to be imprisoned and
harassed for their religious faith.
Because religion is not a part of the ideal Communist society,
the Cuban government has limited and
discouraged its practice. As a result, the Christians of Cuba have been
creative in finding ways to
express their religious beliefs. Small churches have formed through lay people willing to
open up their
homes for meetings. Some of these groups have grown to be very large, but in general, house
churches tend to be small. There are estimated to be at least 5,000
house churches throughout Cuba.
There are reports, however, that pastors are often routinely questioned and
detained for several days,
but the spiritual movement seems unstoppable and a great religious momentum has swept the
country.
Overall human rights situation:
All political and civil liberties are limited in Cuba. Any political
dissent in any form is a punishable offense
and is frequently enforced. There are estimated to be over 600 political
prisoners held predominantly
on charges of “disseminating enemy propaganda” or “dangerousness.” Dissenters are
labeled
“counter-revolutionary criminals” for which the
punishment is confiscation of property, beatings and
intimidation by security agents and imprisonment. The exact
health conditions inside prisons and
psychiatric hospitals (where many dissidents have been sent) are unknown as
International Red
Cross officers have not been allowed to inspect since 1990.